Millennia ago, the goddess Persuasion was imprisoned for defying the heavens. Now, with the help of an old ally, she hopes to break free. Fresh from the events of The Eighth Born, wielder Rhyen of Avernade and his friends flee the nation of Conden, now under the control of Taida, a powerful wielder whose attempt to free Persuasion shattered the powerful Pankara Stone. To defeat Taida, Rhyen needs to reconstruct the Pankara Stone. It's a risky move-to free Persuasion, Taida also needs the Stone restored. As Rhyen and his companions seek out shards in the depths of the earth and the Elemental Kingdom of Death, the young sorcerer struggles to master his Opposite, the madness that lies within every wielder. He also finds himself drawing closer to Caliena, the young farm girl who chose to accompany him into danger. Acting on his feelings is impossible. Wielders live far longer than ordinary humans, but Rhyen still finds himself tempted. And ever present on the periphery of his awareness is the Dark Rider, a shadowy figure who has haunted Rhyen since childhood, and who prepares to teach the young wielder the meaning of loss.

The gods created the elves, dwarves, gnomes, and humanity-granting all but humans an inherent magic power. But with the encouragement of the goddess Persuasion, the magical races soon turned on the humans, pushing the magic-less race to the brink of destruction. In response, the gods chose to abandon the mortal world for Heaven. Before leaving, however, they gave mankind a gift to restore balance-a few select individuals with the power to actively wield magic. Persuasion, for her crimes, was banished to Limbo. Since then, the exiled goddess has made only one attempt to free herself, enthralling the human sorcerer Taida in a scheme that destroyed both a kingdom and the powerful Pankara Stone that the goddess required for escape. The young magic-wielder known as Rhyen Hyldhem, newly graduated from the great Academy in Ikha, knows of the story of Taida-but such events occurred millennia ago. As war brews, however, Rhyen will learn more about his powers...and the identity of the fearsome Dark Rider who has stalked him since childhood. Rhyen is about to discover the past isn't dead-and that his destiny is intricately tied to Taida's betrayal of humanity.